Comments / New

Dallas Stars Daily Links: Joe Pavelski, Ty Dellandrea, And The Stars’ Future

Posted on by Kathleen Tibbetts

Prospect Development Camp has been a big source of Dallas Stars news this week, and some of the biggest headlines happened off the ice. Upcoming UFA forward Joe Pavelski stopped in Frisco to take a spin through the Stars’ practice facility, and to provide more grist for the rumor mill.

At age 35, Pavelski could become the oldest player on the Stars roster. He also scored as many goals in 2018-19 as Radek Faksa, Miro Heiskanen and Esa Lindell put together. But besides his on-ice production and off-ice leadership, Pavelski’s best feature may be cost control. As an example, Sean Shapiro draws the contrasts between a potential Pavelski signing and the still-active but increasingly distant opportunity to re-sign Mats Zuccarello:

Retaining Zuccarello would cost the Stars a first-round pick, and those selections are golden currency in the NHL. Whether you use that pick on a prospect or trade it at the deadline for another contributor, it’s an asset that general managers envy – and there are no such strings attached with Pavelski.

Pavelski also isn’t looking for a five-year contract like Zuccarello, one which would almost certainly come with a no-move clause. If the Stars were to sign Zuccarello, they could cost themselves a protection spot in the 2021 expansion draft that would be better used on a younger, home-grown player. Pavelski would enter his 37-year-old season at the time of the expansion draft; he’s not really an asset the Seattle [INSERT NAME HERE] would be interested in at that point.

How does this tie in with the team’s plans for its possible youngest member? Eighteen-year-old Ty Dellandrea is resting a groin injury that troubled him all season with the Flint Firebirds. As a result, he didn’t skate with his fellow prospects this week. But his situation is front and center among the Stars’ concerns for their own upcoming campaign:

Dellandrea can’t play in the AHL this season as he’s still under 20, so he’d have to return to the Flint Firebirds and the OHL if he doesn’t make the Stars. To put this as kindly as possible, things in Flint are…rough.

If Dellandrea fares well enough in training camp, Dallas will have nine games to make a decision on whether Dellandrea is truly NHL-ready. If he plays 10 games, the Stars would burn a year of his entry-level contract; nine games or fewer, and it slides a year.

There’s much more behind the paywall. [The Athletic DFW]

Stars Stuff

Mark Stepneski has been a trustworthy source of Stars news for the past seven years. We’ll miss his Stars Inside Edge posts.

The Stars are sharing some of his best moments, including several examples of his bone-dry sense of social-media humor.

Now which former Stars can we argue into the Hockey Hall of Fame? The “Take 5” crew looks at prime candidates, from Jere Lehtinen to – wait for it! – Pat Verbeek.

Around The League(s)

Several teams may have a shot to sign Joe Pavelski, but only one team faces losing him. With the captain’s imminent departure, the San Jose Sharks have some decisions to make.

Meanwhile, only one team can sign Sergei Bobrovsky. So where else can an organization find high-value netminding on the free-agent market?

Who will be the brave (or foolish) GM who does what everyone else just thinks about, really hard? Jesse Campigotto examines the case for and against offer-sheeting.

And as you prepare for a possible Monday feeding frenzy, the Sports Illustrated staff provides a list of its top UFAs, from Alex Chiasson to Anders Lee.

Finally

“I wanna see what the easier course is like.” Ever wonder how the prospects work out off the ice? Here’s a mic’ed-up Nick Caamano tackling the ropes – and his fear of heights. Enjoy.

Talking Points